Note: The following is an early access preview of CTE’s guide to syllabus construction using Simple Syllabus. Please check back on February 20th for the complete version. If you have suggestions, input, or your own examples or insight that you would like to contribute, please e-mail us at cte@aa.ufl.edu.
Research‑Based Strategies for Building Your Simple Syllabus
Your syllabus is often the very first impression students have of you and your course, and that impression can happen even before students hear your voice or experience your teaching. As students read, they’re also asking themselves an important question: Can I succeed in this course? A well‑designed syllabus helps them answer “yes!”
When your policies, assignments, and goals are clearly explained, your students are able to see a clear path for learning rather than warning flags. That clarity builds their confidence, reduces anxiety, and allows them to focus their energy on learning.
As they read your syllabus, they are likely forming ideas about who you are: Are you approachable? Clear? Supportive? The syllabus quietly sets expectations and communicates what it will feel like to learn with you during the semester.
In these ways, your syllabus is more than a document—it’s the foundation for your relationships with your students and a crucial factor in building their excitement and efficacy. The more transparent, organized, and learning‑centered it is, the more you help your students begin the semester on the right foot.
Designing a Clear, Learning-Focused Syllabus
A learning-focused syllabus creates a clear path to learning. Instead of functioning mainly as a contract or list of rules, it serves as a guide to help students understand what they will learn, how they will learn it, why it matters, and how you will support them along the way. In short, it aligns your teaching intentions with students’ experiences from day one.
The following principles are the key considerations that will make your syllabus clear and learning-focused, organized around how students actually use it.
1. Transparency and Alignment
Students use syllabi to reduce uncertainty. As instructors, we can increase our student’s confidence by transparently communicating the purposes, tasks, and criteria they will be held to regarding what they will learn throughout the course..
Transparency and alignment help all learners feel more certain that they can be successful and especially benefits first‑generation students, students with disabilities, and students new to university settings. A clear syllabus:
- Explains grading and policies plainly and concretely
- Avoids unnecessary jargon or vague language
- Anticipates common student questions (“How is this graded?” “What happens if…?”)
- Shows alignment between assignments and learning goals
- Communicates expectations: what the instructor expects and what the student can expect
2. Expectations and Student Learning Outcomes
Students want to know what you expect of them and what they can expect to learn. These expectations help students understand how to engage meaningfully and what success looks like from the very beginning. A strong syllabus:
- States expectations in clear, actionable language
- Describes learning outcomes using measurable, student‑centered verbs
- Connects expectations to the broader purpose of the course
3. Humanization and Warmth
The tone used in a syllabus is important because it helps establish psychological safety and belonging from day one in the course. A humanized syllabus:
- Introduces the instructor as a real person
- Conveys that the instructor assumes good intent
- Explicitly invites communication and help‑seeking
- Emphasizes what students can do, not just what they can’t
- Frames policies as supports for learning, not punishments
4. Academic Integrity
Students look to your syllabus for cues about how to navigate academic expectations. A supportive explanation of integrity builds trust and encourages students to uphold shared academic values. It’s helpful if your syllabus:
- Frames integrity as part of learning and professionalism
- Clarifies discipline‑specific expectations for honesty and citation
- Invites students to ask questions when they’re unsure
To learn more about how to communicate standards of academic integrity in your syllabus, see Academic Integrity.
5. Accessibility by Design
A sound syllabus is usable by all students and aligns with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. Developing an accessible syllabus shows students that you care and have already considered variation in student abilities from the start. An accessible syllabus uses:
- Clear structure with headings and consistent formatting
- Document design that can be accessed using screen readers and other assistive technologies
- Accommodation and flexibility statements
- Attention to a variety of student backgrounds and circumstances
Simple Syllabus Helps Instructors Implement All of These Strategies
In the following sections you’ll find best practices that incorporate the strategies outlined above. We’ve organized these to align with the Simple Syllabus form so you can jump directly to any section to read the specific recommendations and illustrative examples.
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Instructor Information (required)
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Office Location (required)
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Teaching Assistants (optional)
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Course Details (required)
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Course Description (optional)
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Required Materials (required)
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Recommended Materials (required)
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A Note on Materials (required)
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Course Goals and Objectives (required)
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Expectations and Student learning Outcomes (required)
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Methods of Evaluation (required)
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Grading Scale (required)
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Course Schedule (required)
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Canvas Assignments (optional)
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Alignment of SLOs
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University Policies & Resources (required)
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Attendance Policy (required)
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Course Policies and Resources (optional)
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Late and Make-Up Work Policy (optional)
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Classroom Behavior (optional)
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Technology in the Classroom (optional)
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Create a Section (optional)